Engine-starter.



G. E. KELLS, J11. ENGINE STARTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAYE, 191s.

' Patnted Feb. 10, 19m

- srnrns PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES ammonia KELLS, an, or NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I. CHARLES EDMUND Karts,Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing in New Orleans, in theparish of Orleansand State of Louisiana, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Engine-Starters, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to starting devices for engines, and particularlyto the automatic starting mechanism of internal combastion enginescommonly used in automo- Ordinarily the propelling engine of anautomobile is started either by hand or by automatic mechanism,comprising an auxiliary motor either electrically or fluid operated. Insome cases air or gas is admitted directly to the propelling engine andis used to start it. In any case, it is important that the propellingengine shall be started while it is disconnected from the driving wheels1 of Lhe vehicle or similar parts to be operated, and it is the practiceto employ transmission gears which may be connected and disconnected atwill whereby the propelling engine may be started while it isdisconnected from the driving wheels or similar parts.

It is obvious that if by some oversight the transmission gears should beso related when the starter is operated that the driving wheels areoperatively connected with the propelling engine the vehicle will beprematurely started and accidents may result.

The object of this invention is to provide improved means for preventingthe operation of the starter while the transmission gears are in mesh orso related that the propelling engine is operativly connected with thewheels.

My invention consists in combining with the controller of thetransmission gears an improved device which regulates the supply ofpower to the starter and which is so constructed that the supply ofpower is always shut oflr' when'the transmission gears are in mesh andthus prevents the operation of the starter, but which when thetransmission gears are separated o ens the power supply and renders itavai able for use in the starter, the starter being put intocommuni'cation with the source of power by Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed Kay 5, 1913.

Patented Feb. 10, 1914. serial no. 765,608;

other devices which are not effective except when the controller is inneutral position.

My invention may be embodied in mechanism, comprising a. starteroperated either by electricity or by fluid pressure or power, and I haveshown in the accompanying drawings some of the ways in which myinvention may be used.

Figure 1 is a diagram, showing how an electrically operated starterconstructed in accordance with my invention may be combined with aninternal combustion engine. Fig. 2 is a diagram, showing how afluidoperated starter, embodying my improvements, may be used incombination with a similar engine.

In Fig. 1 A indicates a part of the frame of an automobile, and B aninternal combustion engine of ordinary construction. C indicates anelectric motor, geared with the engine B. D indicatesa source of supplyof electric energy, one pole of which is connected by a wire d to ahand-operated switch D which is connected by a wire d"with the motor Cwhich motor is also \connected by wire d with a switch D in turnconnected by a wire d with the other pole of the battery. E indicates acontroller for the transmission gearing F. In this instance thecontroller is in the form of a lever pivoted at 0 to any part of theframe and connected by .a rod 0' with the transmission gears which maybe of any suitable construction and by means of which the engine isoperatively connected with the driving wheels of the vehicle or with anyother suitable part to be driven. The controller E is connected by alink c with the switch arm (1 which passes over the contacts shown.

Fig. 1 shows the parts so arranged that the electrical supply source Dis connected with the starter C. At this time the transmission gears atF are out of gear. If the lever be moved to the right, as viewed in Fig.1, so as to throw the gears F into mesh and thus connect the propellingengine with the driving axle the electric circuit will be broken at Dand the source of electrical supply will be shut off. That is to say,whenever thccontroller E is in such position as to operatively connectthe engine B with the driving axle the power supply for the starter C isshut off, and the starter can never be operated when the, engine is 0onnected with the driving axle.

transmission gears the source of power is available but not necessarilyconnectedwith the starter, but it may be so connected by means of theswitch D, but unless the transmission gears are disconnected the startercannot be operated by the switch D. In Fig. 2, the frame A and engine Bare similar to those shown in Fig. 1. In this case the starter G isfluid-operated and it is geared to the engine B as indicated. Hindicates a source of fluid supply under pressure such as compressedair, and this is connected by a pipe k with the starter G. F indicatesthe transmission ears and E the controller therefor which 15 pivoted tothe frame at e and connected with the gears by the rod e. I indicates avalve in the pipe h which controls the passage of fluid from the sourceH and this valve is connected by a rod 6 with the controller E. Theparts are so related that when the controller is in position to connectthe gears F the valve I will be closed, but when the lever is turned tothe proper position to disconnect the transmission gears the valve Iwill be opened, as shown in the drawings. J indicates a foot-operateddevice connected with the valve K in the pipe h interposed between thestarter G and the valve I. The operation of this device J doesnot-necessarily connect the source of power H with the starter G, butonly so connects these two parts when the controller E is in suchposition as to disconnect the transmission gears at F so that thevehicle cannot be accidentally started because whenever the starter isin condition to be operated the transmission gears must be disconnected.

Other modifications of the invention might be illustrated but thoseshown are considered sufiicient to indicate how my invention may bepractically used. In all cases itwill be observed that When thecontroller is in position to connect the transmission When the.

controller is in position to disconnect the' gears the source of power,whether electrical, uidor otherwise, is shut ofi, but when thecontroller is in position to disconnect said transmission gears thesource of power is made available or is released and may be admitted tothe starter at will by the operation of the device D or J.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination with a propelling engine andtransmission gears, of a starter for the engine, a source of powertherefor, a controller for the transmission gears, means operated by thecontroller for shutting off the power supply from the starter when thetransmission gears are in mesh and for rendering said source of poweravailable for starting purposes without admitting power to the motorwhen the transmission gears are out of mesh, and devices for thencompleting communication between the starter and the source of power.

2. The combination with a propelling engine and transmission gears, of astarter for the engine, asource of power therefor, a'connection betweenthe source of power and the starter which is opened and closed at twopoints, a controller for the transmission gears, and means operated bythe controller for shutting off the power supply at one of said pointswhen the transmission gears are in mesh and for opening said connectionat said point when the transmission gears are out of mesh and anotherdevice for opening and closing the connection at said other point insaid connection whereby when the transmission gears are out of mesh andthe connection between the starter and the source of power is opened bythe controller the connection between the source of power and thestarter may be completed by said device.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

CHARLES EDMUND KELLS, JR. IVitnesses:

Jos. J. GAPPEL, SAMUEL H. MoArnE.

